Lighting device for jack-o&#39;-lanterns and other halloween toys



March 10, 1953 H. s. ROOT LIGHTING DEVICE FOR JACKOL ANTERNS AND OTHERHALLOWEEN TOYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1948 INVENTOR.

March 1 195 H. s. ROOT 3 LIGHTING DEVICE FOR JACK-O-LANTERNS AND OTHERHALLOWEEN TOYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1948 INVENTOR. I fi6uarolJ: @205 March 10, 1953 H. s. ROOT 2,631,224

LIGHTING DEVICE FOR JACK-O-LANTERNS AND OTHER HALLOWEEN TOYS Filed Dec.21, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet s BYZZQWQZ J [3 006 M 9 6J1,

Patented Mar. 10, 1953 LIGHTING DEVICE FOR JACK-O-LANTERNS AND OTHERHALLOWEEN TOYS) Howard S. Root, Spokane, Wash.

Application December 21, 1948, Serial No. 66,408

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in a lighting device forjack-olanterns and other halloween toys.

It is the principal purpose of my invention to provide a novelconstruction of lighting device for jack-o-lanterns and other Halloweentoys. These toys generally of jack-o-=lantern pumpkin form, butsometimes in imitation of animals or human heads, are commonly used bychildren at Halloween time. Their attractiveness is greatly enhanced. byillumination from within. Various means for lighting them have beenemployed. The most common device is an ordinary candle. That, however,is very dangerous. The toys are often made of fibrous material andcolored with lacquer. The combination is often highly inflammable.Moreover the candle itself may ignite a childs clothing.

According to my invention, it is the purpose to provide a lighting meansfor such toys using an ordinary dry cell battery which embodies abattery container having means to attach it to the toy on the interiorand having hinged thereto a combination light bulb support and switchmechanism operable by a handle that protrudes from the toy at a distancefrom the bulb and battery. In the preferred form of the invention, thehandle also cooperates with the hollow shell to produce noise.

The objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings illustrating apreferred embodiment, with modifications of certain parts thereof, ofthe invention. The drawings and description, however, are illustrativeonly and it will be apparent that many changes in the detailedconstruction may be made within the scope of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through a hollow toy embodying myinvention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view of a part of the battery and lightholding device;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side view taken on the line 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the battery and light holding device;

Figure 5a is a bottom view of the battery and light holding device;

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 1, showing a modifiedhandle and mounting for the light bulb, this device being operable fromthe side;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view of a further modified construction of thelightingdevlce;

igure 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8; V

Figure 10 is a sectional view similar to Figure 1 of a furthermodification of the device;

Figure 11 is a sectional View on the line I l-li of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a side view of the lighting device of Figure 10, looking atit from the right hand side of Figure 10; and

Figure 13 is a sectional view onthe line Iii-l3 of Figure 10.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 5a inclusive showing the preferred form ofmy invention, 1 provide a container in the form of a substantially U-shaped bracket ll], of any suitable material, to provide a seat for abattery H and to provide the mounting means for a light bulb l2 andoperating mechanism, described more fully later, by which the light bulbI 2 may be energized from the battery II. The bracket is electricallyconductive to provide a conductor for completing the circuit to thelight bulb I2.

The container II] has depending fingers l3 and i oppositely disposed atthe bottom thereof. These fingers preferably are struck up from thematerial at the side of the container as shown in Figure 5. The fingersare forced through the base of the hollow toy 9 (jack-o-lantern, blackcat etc), and clinched over a metal washer 8 that seats in a shallowring like recess So that is formed in the bottom of the toy 9. Thisconstruction reenforces the connection of the container II] to thebottom of the toy and keeps the fingers from pulling out. The fingersmay also be struck out of the bottom of the container as shown in Figure5a, 1

In order to resist removal of the battery, it is preferred to make thecontainer ID of somewhat resilient material so that it will grip thebattery. The upstanding legs Illa and H31) are curved transversely toprevent the battery from sliding out sidewise. The tongues [5 are struckout from the material of the bracket legs Illa and lb to serve furtherto secure the battery I I against dislodgement. A band 16 is also usedto keep the legs Illa and !0b in place.

At the top of one leg Ina, I provide a hinge H for a light bulb supportl8. This support is provided with an aperture I9 which is threaded toreceive the light bulb 42. By swinging the support 18 up and down, thelight bulb i2 is brought into contact with theflat end terminal lightingdevice of lid of the battery II to complete the energizing circuit forthe light bulb I2. The other contact for the battery is between theraised center terminal Hb on the battery and the cross bar I forming thebottom of the bracket ill.

In a device of this character which is to be carried by children, it isessential to simplify the construction for energizing the light bulb,but to make it of suchnature to withstand the rough handling ofchildrenat play. I provide an operating means for the light bulb support 18 ofsuch a nature that the child can turn the light on and off at will, yetif the entire toy is carried by the operating handle, no harm is done tothe device. As illustrated in the several drawings,

this operating mechanism may be varied consi d-.

erably in detail but in all instances it is'ch'aracterized by a handle20 extending through an aperture in the hollow toy, either at the top,or

the side of the toy, and freely movable inth'e' aperture to move thebulb support it. In the preferred form (Figures 1 to 5) the handle'2ilgoes through the top opening 23 in the jack-o-lantern and rocks toand fro in this opening. By shaking the jack-d-lantern to and fro, thehandle 25 can be made to strike the walls of the jack-olantern and makea drumming noise while it also flashes the light bulb.

The support !8 and'the'container Ill carry cooperating parts actingyieldingly to hold the support 18 in light bulb energizing position whenit is moved there by the handle 29. The leg Illa is provided with ears2! and the support [8 has a hinge pin 22 thereon cooperating with theears 2| to form the hinge [1. end hooked over a shoulder 24 formed bybending over the upper end of the leg- 33a. The spring 25 is wound onthe pin 22 and hooked over the support [3 to oppose movement of thesupport 48 to an open position from the closed circuit position shown.The handle 23 has its lower end pivoted in a'bent over portion '26 ofthe leg "lb and has an operating portion 27 for engaging and lifting'thesupport l8. Even if the child carries the toy by the handle 20 andswings it around or bangs 'it-against something, the strain is directfrom the handle to the leg lfib, thus protecting the light bulb l2 andits support l8 from damage. V V

In Figures 8 and '9 the hinge construction at l'! is somewhat different.The support IB' has an aperture [8a therein and the leg Illa has aportion 28 extended through the aperture l8a and curled over. This is aloose hinge construc: tion. Extended prongs '29 on the support I8cooperate with spring lugs 39 on the leg Illa to oppose movement of thesupport 18 to bring the bulb 12 against the central terminal of thebattery H. In this form of the invention the support !8 is held inclosed position by a permanent magnet 3| that is secured on the leg Nbof the battery container. The support l8 must of course, be at least inpart, of a material that will be attracted by the magnet 3|. Soft ironor steel whichis also a conductor of electricity may be used. The. loosehinge construction allows the spring lugs'30 to force the support I8down to take care of slight differences in battery heights. The handle20 is connected to the free end of the support I8.

In Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings the hollow toy 9' has a side opening32 in addition to the usual top opening 23. In-this form a lamp support33 of wireis hinged at IT to the container 10. The wire support 33 iscalled at 34 to receive he lamp 2 nd s. extend d. by a liding eaten:

A spring 25 has one sion 35 through the opening 32. Pressure on the bereplaced, the handle extension 35 can be extension 30 will force thelamp l2 down to contact the battery ll. When the battery II is to bereplaced, the handle extension 35 can be pushed in and lifted throughthe opening 23. The lamp I 2 is normally held out of contact with thebattery II by a resilient member 33 of rubber or its equivalent.

In Figures 10, 1 2 and 13, the construction for mounting the lampsupport I8 is modified. In this form of the invention two ears 3'! areextended from the leg Illa of the U-shaped battery container. The ears31 are bent around laterally extending projections 38 that are formed onthe support it". A resilient tongue 39 of the leg 10a is curved andextended as shown in Figure 10, toprovide a spring latch engaging anextension 43 of the support [8". The contour of the tongue 39 is suchthat it permits the support I8" to snap between open position, where thelamp i2 is spaced from the battery I I, and

closed position, where the lamp i2 is broughtinto contact with thebattery I I.

The manner of holding theband IS in place is somewhat different inFigure 10 from theshowing in Figure 1. It is obvious, however, thatthisand other minor changes may be made within the scope of my invention.The function ofthe band !8 is merely to hold the legs of the container56 more securely and it maybe dispensed with where the container issufiiciently rigid.

As shown by the drawings and the foregoing description, I have provideda safe lighting de-, vice for jack-d-lanternS and other toys. It is mydesire to utilize this lighting device in such toys that are adaptableto it or which are; designed for it. The preferred form also a'noi semaker to increase the appeal of these toys to children. When the batteryis used up, it can easily be replaced by lifting they support l8 andthen lifting the battery. The preferred form is also a light weight,inexpensive, easily manufactured device, capable of forming, by simpleand easy engagement with anelectric bulb and dry cell battery, a safelight for such toys.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the nature andadvantages of my invention will be clear.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim:

1. An illuminatedfigure toy comprising a hollow body having an openingin the top thereof and having side openings for'lateral passage of lightfrom the interior of the body, a container for a dry cell batterysecured in the body and having oppositely disposed portions projectingabove the level of a dry cell battery seated in said container, a drycell battery seated in said container, the battery having acentralterminal at its bottom and engaging the container, the containerbeing electrically conductive, a lamp bulb, an electrically conductivesupport hinged to one of said portions and'extending over the otherportion, said support having a'socket in which the lamp bulb is mounted,the lamp bulb having an end terminal directed toward the 'adjacent endof the battery, spring means on the container urging the support in adirection to press the end terminal of the lamp bulb against the end ofthe battery to establish electrical contact between the lamp bulb andthebattery, a handle operably connected to the. support and extending tothe exterior of the body through one of the openings for moving thesupport against the pressure of said spring means thereby-to separatethe end terminal or the lamp bulb from the battery.

2. An illuminated figure toy comprising a hollow body having an openingin the top thereof and having side openings for lateral passage of lightfrom the interior of the body, a container for a dry cell batterysecured in the body and having oppositely disposed portions projectingabove the level of a dry cell battery seated in said container, a drycell battery seated in said container, the battery having a centralterminal at its bottom and engaging the container, the container beingelectrically conductive, a lamp bulb, an electrically conductive supporthinged,

to one of said portions and extending over the other portion, saidsupport having a socket in which the lamp bulb is mounted, the lamp bulbhaving an end terminal directed toward the adjacent end of the battery,spring means on the container prging the support in a. direction topress the end terminal of the lamp bulb against the end of the batteryto establish electrical contact between the lamp bulb and the battery};a handle pivoted on said other projecting portion and extending throughthe top opening of the hollow body, said handle being swingable 6 aboutits pivot from side to side or said opening to act as a heater on thehollow body to produce noise, said handle having a portion extendingbeneath the free end of said support and engaging the said support andlifting the support against the force of said spring means when thehandle is moved in one direction into engagement with the side of thetop opening of the hollow body.

HOWARD S. ROOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 741,293 Barnes Oct. 13, 19031,263,315 Finkbeiner Apr. 16, 1918 1,438,179 Hollander Dec. 12, 19222,006,251 Rollins June 25, 1935 2,201,588 Kuhns May 21, 1940 2,236,071Roskam et a1 Mar. 25, 1941 2,277,866 Le Sage Mar. 31, 1942 2,428,133Yogan Sept. 30, 1947

